Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)

Synopsis: Based on the story by Edgar Allen Poe, this lurid horror film follows medical student Pierre Dupin (Leon Ames) through 1845 Paris as he tries to thwart the evil plans of carnival scientist Dr. Mirakle (Bela Lugosi). Women have been disappearing off the streets and turning up dead in the river,... Based on the story by Edgar Allen Poe, this lurid horror film follows medical student Pierre Dupin (Leon Ames) through 1845 Paris as he tries to thwart the evil plans of carnival scientist Dr. Mirakle (Bela Lugosi). Women have been disappearing off the streets and turning up dead in the river, as Mirakle conducts blood tests to find a suitable mate for his giant gorilla, Erik, and thus prove his theory of human evolution. Mirakle's next choice of bride-to-be is Dupin's girlfriend (Sidney Fox), and Dupin must race to find her before she becomes the next victim. This film is amazingly perverse and dark for its time, with Bela Lugosi giving one of his most memorably sinister performances as Dr. Mirakle. An early scene where he abducts a streetwalker and chains her up in his laboratory is still shocking today. The photography by Karl Freund is particularly striking, with the gloomy sense of space and light practically tangible. Director Robert Florey creates a vivid, expressionistic Paris that seems like a dream. For those only familiar with standards like DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN, this twisted film is worth seeking out. [More]